Crime & Punishment of Thursday, 27 April 2006

Source: GNA

Police arrests suspected murderer

Akwatia, April 27, GNA - Alex Narkotey, a 30-year-old carpenter is helping the Akwatia Police in their investigations into a case in which he was alleged to have stabbed a close friend, Francis Appiah, to death with a chisel.

Appiah, 35, was said to have met his death following a fight with Narkotey after the two had drunk some "akpeteshie" at a bar at Mmoframfadwen, near Akwatia.

ASP Desmond Owusu Boampong, Akwatia District Police Commander, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that following a quarrel between Narkotey and his wife, Margaret Naka, with whom he had six children, the woman reported a case of assault against the husband at the Akwatia Police station.

He said the Police went to Mmoframfadwen to invite Narkotey, who went into hiding.

When he re-surfaced on April 15, he was alleged to have been invited by his friend Appiah for a drink but at the bar, there arose a misunderstanding between them which resulted in a fight during which Appiah, was said to have bitten the jaw of the suspect who in turn hit him with a stone.

ASP Boampong said the two were separated and Appiah went home and his wife applied some medicine on his wound. He said an hour later, Appiah decided to go to town to inform an elderly person of what had happened but as he emerged from his room, a son informed him that Narkotey was hiding near the house so he should remain indoors.

But the father insisted on going to make his report to the elderly man and as he got out of the house, Narkotey, armed with a sharp chisel, emerged from his hideout and stabbed him, twice at the back and one on his left breast.

He fell unconcious and was rushed to the St. Dominic's Hospital at Akwatia but died on the way. ASP Boampong said after stabbing Appiah, Narkotey rather rushed to the Akwatia Police Station to report that Appiah had injured him. He was, however, arrested at the charge office on the initial complaint of assault lodged by the wife. Shortly thereafter, a complaint was made to the police of the alleged murder of Appiah by Narkotey.